Zanzibar hotels near Forodhani Gardens

Pros: The hotel is the most luxurious hotel in Zanzibar. It is very comfortable and welcoming. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The food was very good, especially the breakfast which had a great variety. Choose this hotel if you want to visit Stone Town and Prison Island for a couple of days or if you are there for business.

Cons: The Spa could definitely be improved. The beach is an open beach so dont choose this hotel if you want a beach holiday.

Pros: Breakfast was a fantastic spread! Many thanks to the general manager Nicholas for going out of his way to make us so comfortable. The staff was fabulous looking after us.

Pros: Terrific hotel with wonderful pool, views, right on the beach, good food selection and quality, superb staff. A bit pricey for being right in stone town (and therefore not on the nicest beach), but a great place to stay for those who don't have time to get out to the further parts of the island

Pros: It’s historical significance, architecture, cleanliness, upkeep, good air conditioning and comfortable bed. The room was spacious. The staff were responsive to our needs and recommended things to do in the areas and arranged for it.

Cons: Electricity outages were common during our stay but only lasted a minute at a time. Our room did not have hot water.

Pros: Excellent location, great restaurant

Cons: No hand towel in the main bathroom, only tissues (difficult to wipe wet hands with)

Pros: Location

Cons: We were promised a bottle of sparkling wine in our room on arrival as it was our honeymoon but this was not provided. No big deal. The service at the bar / restaurant was worst I have ever experienced in a 5 star hotel. 15 minutes between providing the menu and taking our drinks order. Red wine was being kept on ice so it was served ice cold. Our food took ages to arrive and when it did arrive it did not come with any of our side orders. They had forgotten. Side orders were provided 20 minutes after we finished our main meal. The restaurant was not busy. That evening we rang reception to ask about the sparkling wine and were told they would call us back. No response. We inquired on our way out to dinner and were met with a shrug of the shoulders. When we returned from dinner we asked again and they said they would send it to our room immediately. Unless we inquired again, the hotel staff would have continued to simply ignore us. 1 hour later and it still had not arrived to room. We had to call reception again. The next day we asked for some change at the bar as we only had large notes. We were told no. We asked at the reception and again were told no. This is meant to be a $500/night 5 star hotel but yet they could not handle such a simple request. We had a drink that night in the bar and ordered two glasses of red wine. 6 times the waiter returned to our table to confirm the order. Eventually he advised that the wine was not available so we ordered different wine. Again the red wine was served ice cold despite the hotels website boasting of their prestigious sommeliers. The robes in the room were torn and there was blood on the moaquito net around the bed. Despite all of the above, it is a beautiful hotel in an excellent location with spectacular views. Sadly the service is poor or maybe we simply weren't important enough guests as staff seemed to swarm to certain guests. It may be the most expensive hotel in stone town but definitely not the best.

Pros: Thank you for the birthday surprise cake. It was much appreciated.

Cons: Bed making needs improvement. There needs to be two sheets (linen) a fitted and flat sheet

Pros: Amazing location, highly recommended if staying in stone town.

Pros: The staff were very good and took a lot of time to get to know us and make us feel comfortable, especially our 8 year old granddaughter. The room was very well appointed (junior suite) with loads of storage space. The food was a nice mix of local and international style and fairly priced. Fabulous sunsets over the sea from our balcony.

Cons: TV remote and bathroom scales needed batteries and obviously hadn’t been checked before new guests arrived. TV choice very limited. Small problem with lighting that wouldn’t switch off too, though this was rectified when reported. So just a few small niggly things that shouldn’t really happen at the price level.

Cons: The price is high for the rooms

Pros: The hotel is beautiful. We had an ocean view and kept the door open all night and it was simply stunning. We woke to the local women doing bootcamp on the beach in their hijabs and it was delightful. The management were exceptional and introduced themselves individually to us in case we needed anything. When we wanted to send some of our belongings back to Australia they were so helpful. We loved the pool area and after 2 weeks on safari, we adored this hotel. It gave us the refreshment we needed to travel on to Egypt.

Cons: The bar staff were so slow! Over an hour to get a Margherita at the pool is ridiculous and beers always arrived warm. However a local from Dar gave us a great tip - ask for an ice bucket with your beer and all will be fine.

Pros: Welcoming and friendly staff. Very attractive room in a very nice house. Easy walking distance to all places of interest.

Cons: On-site parking chaotic. Not actually a hotel car park, only a couple of spaces. Had to move the car a few hours later. Worried it would be blocked in. No alcohol policy. This was not mentioned in the description but has been in place eight months. Were told we could bring own then this was contradicted. Told no wine glasses despite picture clearly showing this in details. Would not have booked if we knew about these issues. Description needs updating.

Pros: The place in downtown Stontown and the decoration of the hotel (old house).

Cons: My room was just down the kitchen and i could hear the noise of the fridge or the AC engine and people walking. The window insulation are not good also (old one). There was no decoration in the bathroom all the stuff were on a chair.

Pros: Much more than we expected! Wonderful architecture, tradicional and modern at the same time. Best location in Stone Town and a delicious breakfast. Staff extremely friendly!

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing

Cons: They declare the hotel has a private parking, but there is no parking. I had booked this hotel just for this reason, since I had to go to the airport at 3.30 am. They make you park in a narrow dusty street near the hotel (if you find a place), where the cars are parked one behind the other, with the risk that you cannot exit if you need.

Pros: It’s a beautiful old colonial house turned boutique hotel. If you like your hotels to have character and history, Kisiwa House is ideal. It’s beautifully charming and it’s located in the centre of stone town.

Pros: A lovingly restored traditional Stone Town building converted into a fabulous boutique hotel. The building was just gorgeous! The room was beautiful and cosy and full of charm and character. The staff were all very friendly and efficient. Breakfast was excellent with a great choice and served on the amazing roof top.

Cons: The only negative.......I didn't have time to have the evening meal in the restaurant and to enjoy all the nooks and crannies and little seating spots hidden around.

Pros: Mwanajuma was a great host & the staff was equally impressive.

Cons: The beef bacon shortage.

Pros: The rooms are very clean, roomie, the staff were very welcoming and nice. The breakfast was great! Just near Kenyata road where you can buy things. Near the clothes market and beach

Cons: Without elevator and the hotel has high stairs

Pros: Location of the hotel, roof terrace

Cons: additional charges on credit card to pay transportation

Pros: Location, service, cleanliness

Cons: Check on process was too slow Net connection too slow

Pros: I loved the hotel really, with the atmoshpere of palace, all the desing inside, increadible swimming pool. Very stylish. and people working there, very clever and kind. Rooms big, and very good breakfasts.

Pros: The building is beautiful and so unique. The staff are very friendly and the location is superb. Lots of bars and shops; the post office and a pharmacy all within walking distance.

Cons: Struggling to think of something I didn't like.... we requested an airport pickup but there was noone there to meet us, not a massive problem as many taxis outside. Pool area is quite small for the size of the hotel but we spent most of our time exploring.

Pros: Absolutely beautiful hotel with Zanzibari feel. Staff was super friendly and helpful, but not overbearing. Breakfast is great, large assortment, and on the patio with a fantastic view of the sea and beautiful stained glass. Would def stay here again, great value for money! Huge rooms. Everything was so beautiful. Would for sure stay here again.

Cons: No complaints

Pros: We only stayed one night, but we had a great experience. The breakfast was exceptional in the morning as there was just so much to choose from! The hotel itself is gorgeous, the pool is in a lovely courtyard and the design of the hotel in a kind of Arab-esque way was beautiful. What stood out most was the service. Although check out was at 11AM, they allowed us to use the facilities throughout the day as our pickup wasn’t until 7PM. As a result, we were able to put our luggage in their luggage room (very safe - all still intact with valuables), go out on a tour arranged by the hotel, have money exchanged, and hang out by the pool after a long day of activities until our cab arrived. Bed was also comfortable, and equipped with mosquito nets which a staff member came in to spray with insect repellent in the evening.

Cons: The room was quite small, and bit dingy. However, being in the amazing Stonetown and having the lovely pool and balcony meant we were really only in there to sleep. Also, we had paid online but when we checked out the receptionist didn’t have any confirmation attached to our invoice. We were able to pull up the payment confirmation on our phone but could have been tricky if that weren’t possible.

Pros: The building is beautiful, nice swimming pool, friendly staf and the breakfast is super.

Cons: There is a music school or something like that next door, if you are in a room at that side of the building you hear people learning how to play a violin, people singing etc, the whole day.

Pros: Staff were very accommodating and friendly. Rooms were great. We had a balcony on the seafront, which was good except there was a fairly busy road at the front.

Cons: The hotel is near a big shipping port, which spoils the view a little.

Pros: Beautiful building. Great terrace.

Cons: Hotel doesn’t have a bar.

Pros: Loved it, unusual boutique design, decent breakfast, comfortable bed and staff very helpful in arranging trip to prison island.

Pros: Large clean room (2 double beds) and large bathroom, nice pool, beautiful old furniture with "Sansibar doors", breakfast (Buffet) on the balcomy with nice view to the sea.

Cons: Nothing

Pros: Cleanliness

Cons: They only had shampoo and soap in the bathrooms, the hotel room was not in the hotel but in some dingy ally no where close to the ocean as stipulated on bookings.com, the TV quality was terrible you can’t watch anything on it, on checking out i had to walk with my bags through the alleyways to the “hotel” , which wasn’t close. By the time i got there i was sweaty and felt like i needed another shower!

Pros: Amazing location, stylish rooms ,friendly, very helpful and accommodating staff. The breakfast needs maybe a strawberry jam? All together great, great , great! I’ll be back.

Pros: Fabulous old colonial hotel. Superb location on the cusp of all the tourist spots in Stonetown. Located on the beach front, so it was lovely to sit having breakfast and watch all the locals and boats pass by. Breakfast buffet had a good choice. The staff are all extremely accommodating. We had to leave at 3am to get to the airport and they provided us with a breakfast box to take with as we were missing breakfast.

Pros: The feeling that you are staying in an old, traditional Stone Town grand house! The view to the sea from our room. The pool in the middle of the building, swimming at night surrounded by the beautiful architecture is really nice ( and I generally dont like pools!). The position is great to explore Stone Town and find your way ( relatively) easy back!

Cons: It might seem strange but the hotel ( the old building) didnt feel totaly safe. Doors wouldnt lock properly. People could just come in and wander everywhere ( it seems unreal, but literally anyone can walk in and have breakfast! There was no form of control whatsoever). Maybe there never was a need for more security, but it still is abit strange.

Pros: Location and staff

Pros: We stayed for one night in Stone Town and chose Tembo Hotel for the location, proximity to the ferry, and their waterfront breakfast that was included. We stayed in the Annex building, which we knew of ahead of time, but it wasn't a problem for us. You are very close to the shops and waterfront. The five of us fit comfortably in a large room with three king size beds and one bathroom. Breakfast was great and had a lot of variety. Would gladly stay again.

Pros: Service was fast and excellent and clean.

Cons: Staircases were too much please consider lift option for the annex apartment rooms as it gets exhausting at times after a long day.

Pros: the spacious rooms, ambience. excellent and friendly service. from the gm, receptionists when we arrived they were very welcoming and everyday they made sure they took our opinion. would vote for them any day anytime.

Cons: They need to up grade the bedding's. The bed sheets were worn out but not torn at all.

Pros: Charming hotel with pool and access to the each. Really helpful and attentive staff. The location could not be better for Stone Town. Great breakfast and the restaurant is nice. Highly recommended.

Pros: Location is sea front...best

Cons: Breakfast is not so best

Pros: Clean

Cons: Location

Pros: The rooms were very comfortable and the staff was delightful. Excellent location.

Pros: Beautiful historical hotel with unique guest rooms. Loved the architecture of the building and the details of the room. Added bonus of a rooftop bar/restaurant with a panoramic view of the town and even a jacuzzi up there. We were one of the few guests in the hotel since it's low season but all of the staff were still very accommodating.

Pros: It was an interesting historic building centrally located. It was very clean, well staffed and managed. All of the staff including the very helpful Maria were most accommodating and actually made you feel truly welcome and sincere. They all went out of their way to please, educate and help us. A safe haven in a bustling city.

Cons: We were surprised that cars/ taxis could not drive right up to the hotel but if a place is well located in Old Stone City only bikes and motor bikes can make it thru the streets.

Pros: Nice location, Stone Town is the perfect location to get to every You need to go, great restaurant above the hotel with a beautiful view. Very helpful and nice staff in the restaurant and reception area.

Cons: The bed is an not comfortable.

Pros: Nice room, views.

Cons: The power kept going off and their generator also didn’t work. Water pressure not great and pump to the toilet didn’t work most days. No hot water so be prepared for cold showers all the time. Wasn’t until breakfast on the third morning we were offered cooked eggs. Other days the breakfast offerings got less and less but seems they worked it out in the end.

Pros: Great staff, food, ambiance

Cons: Very difficult to find in the labyrinth of Stontown, even with map. I did not have a GPS, which might solve the problem. Only issue I had was a laundered pair of shorts of synthetic fabric that had the imprint of an iron on it, which burned a small hole and blackened a small area. Not a big deal but would have appreciated a heads-up on that.

Pros: Old and classy. Beautifully decorated and furnished. Lovely staff.

Cons: Nothing

Pros: Great staff Beautifull house in the center of Stone town. I loved that the staff every evening would make My room ready for Night time, mosquito net down, regulated the aircondition and made the room smell of a Nice fragrance. This was the Best place i stayed. I would go back anytime.

Pros: - Unique style of the hotel - Roof top terrace overlooking the city - Friendly receptionist

Cons: - Bland and somewhat tasteless food at the restaurant, being on the spice island one would expect very tasty food. - bad WiFi connection - towels not rinsed properly and still full of soap - room without windows - service at the restaurant somewhat not very friendly

Pros: Best location for exploring the Stone Town on foot. Clean, comfortable, good friendly service and reasonably-priced. Good mix of Zanzibari/Western breakfast. We didn't try their lunch and dinner menu, but it looked okay.

Cons: They need to put dampers on the feet of their furniture. If there is a floor above you, every movement of furniture above you makes a horrendous noise below.

Pros: The staff were welcoming and pleasant. The room provided was immaculately clean as was the swimming pool area. Well done to the cleaning staff!

Cons: the breakfast was poor in choice and quality. I have stayed here at this hotel many times on various short trips to Zanzibar From Dar. It feels that the breakfast has been neglected. Additionally whilst the skip area opposite the hotel has been moved (thankfully)- the smell of the waste remains when walking past - very offensive especially if venturing out for a meal/drink somewhere else

Pros: The location of the hotel is great. The hotel is a lovely old building with surprisingly spacious rooms and good firm beds and pillows. The staff (with the exception of Reception) were helpful and friendly. The restaurant food was good (other than the gobi manchurian, which was awful) and the service was mainly prompt and efficient.

Cons: Our experience with Reception was uniformly poor. We had booked a car to meet our plane, but it didn’t arrive. We got a cab. When I showed Reception their confirmation email, she said that the person who sent it had left - then took a photocopy. She quoted a rate for the room which was higher than the booking.com confirmation. I showed her the confirmation - she took a photocopy and charged us the lower rate, but with a whooping 4% surcharge for using a debit card! When the eftpos machine finally worked (on the 4th attempt) it chewed up the merchant copy. She asked if they could keep the customer copy. We said no - so she took a photocopy, which the Manager then insisted we sign. We asked if they could change some money - she said no, but gave us (incorrect) directions to the nearest bank. We asked if they would need to see our passports and she said no - also incorrect, they needed the passports....

Pros: Nice view from the terase. Rich breakfast. Clean room.

Cons: We ordered the child´s bed and it wasnt prepared. I send there many emails about this and without any answer. I asked many times to transfer us from the airport to the hotel and anybody answer neither. I asked many times about our early check-in at 5 am and nobody answered, eventhough I kept sending emails from different email addresses. So - administation was very very poor!!!

Pros: Food was really yummy to the tummy. Staff were dedicated. Environment was tidy. Nice simple rooms. Service by waiter and other staff was the best. Very nice building and enmities in side.

Cons: Fairs agreed while booking were different and price charged at the counter was different. We had request assistance on arrangement or recommendation on places to visit while our stay but we did not get any assistance. Every one was looking for their commissions/ interests first than service

Pros: Every thing you just mention it. Mr. Babu was very helpful and friendly not to me only but to all.

Cons: I didn't like to leave the hotel and continue our 5 remaining days, but we had to move to another hotel where our relatives were staying in.

Pros: The staff were not friendly and seemed disinterested. They did things the way they had been told to do it with no thought for customers.

Pros: Simple but friendly, good quality option in stone town.

Cons: Kayak's price was ~$30 less than booking at the hotel. The person at reception couldn't match the rate even though I was standing at the reception desk while booking.

Cons: I didnt like that i booked big room and they give us different rooms as per available not as per booked twice i got different room as per available not booked in booking

Pros: The location is perfect. Also very very clean.

Cons: Breakfast was average.

Pros: The hotel has a gorgeous Zanzibari setting. The AC Was perfect and so was the decor and courtyard. The breakfast was average. But the mixed juice delicious. Staff were helpful and amazing, they packed me a to go because I had to leave early. The location was amazing, great boutique right in front as well on to the side of the hotel. Unfortunately I didn’t go to the rooftop! Very close to Forodhani gardens and main areas! I would stay here again.

Cons: The food wasn’t that great. Water smelled weird.

Pros: Good Location. Good Rooftop Restaurant. That's all.

Cons: 1. Hygiene Located in the heart of the old city, there are many rats inside and around the hotel. I stayed in the Princess Salme Room, the rats ran on the ceiling and was too noisy to sleep from 10 o'clock at night. While staying for two nights, I also saw rats on the stairs of the hotel. 2. Employees' ability to solve problems Despite these conditions, the staff members' response was poor. The rats in the lodgings were insignificant for them and they did not provide a clear solution. Communication between employees is also a big problem, and the afternoon employee didn't know or didn't take any action. 3. Untrustful Manager The manager in charge responded with a lie and a high-pressure attitude to avoid the moment. We did not receive the service for comfortable sleep after paying expensive accommodation. We had to argue with the manager to convey our inconvenience. The manager here acted like a market trader, not a service worker. 4. WiFi is not available at the room. They have very slow Wi-Fi access in the lobby and no Wi-Fi in the room. 5. Slow breakfast This place is not a buffet breakfast, but it serves an order for each menu. The problem is that it takes too much time to take an order and get food. If you have a schedule in the morning, you should go ahead and order breakfast earlier than you think. (+ Others) * The bathtub is made of concrete so it cools down quickly even if you receive warm water. * The hot water tank is small, so the hot water drops quickly and the cold water comes out. It is recommended that the next person take a shower at least 15 minutes after the shower. * There is no door in the bathroom, so you could feel embarrassed.

Pros: The designs/ambiance

Cons: There was some type of animal droppings in the shower every day — clearly coming from the ceiling. The showers without doors seemed romantic at first but steamed up the room too much. The bed was rock hard and I didn’t sleep well.

Pros: Authentic and perfectly located awesome rooms and roof top.

Pros: Amazing room! (Ask for Adnan) with sumptuous four poster bed and terrace right outside with sun loungers. I felt well looked after from the moment I arrived, including keeping the restaurant open a little later to enjoy a meal when I arrived. As a history buff, I loved reading about all the care that had gone into restoring the old building and the themes of the different rooms. It has lots of charm and character, a pleasant inside courtyard and a lovely view from the rooftop restaurant. Not normally one to rave about fruit, but the pineapples and mangoes at breakfast were to die for! Would definitely recommend!

Cons: Felt prices quoted for excursions and transfers were a little steep, but other than that, for the actual stay itself it was good value for money.

Pros: the unique rooms! I stayed in Mercury room, it was amazing!

Pros: Location is in the heart of Stone Town and hotel itself is decorated in a very interesting way. One of the most special room I've ever seen. Breakfast on the terrace with view was nice as well.

Pros: The location was great - right in the heart of Stone Town. The hotel is absolutely beautiful as each room is uniquely decorated based on a specific them associated with Zanzibar. The breakfast is plentiful and fresh, with everything prepared to order

Cons: The WiFi was a bit patchy in places but other than that there wasn't really anything else to complain about!!

Pros: Quirky is a word that I would use to sum up Stone Town and especially this hotel. There is a real sense of stepping back in time in Stone Town and despite some 'shabby chic' appearance and need of renovation, there are gems of original features and exotic decoration. Wooden staircases and richly coloured walls combine with wooden shutters and brass trimmings to create a feeling of how the Town might have looked in its heyday. This hotel captured all that wonderfully.

Cons: Our antique bed could have been a little longer - maybe they were shorter back in the day?!

Pros: Comfortable bed.

Cons: Received an indecent phone call to my room at 10pm offering a „gentle massage“, then claiming my confirmed airport transfer for 12:30am was cancelled and I had to leave the hotel by 11:45pm. Went down to reception, where I realized it was the night receptionist, who called. First he denied it was him, then he gave in and started begging me not to report him. As my transfer was actually there before midnight, I had to comply and leave. Communicated with management, they agreed to reimburse me for the night. Never materialized. They claim that booking.com refused to transfer my money back, but why should they, not having anything to do with it. It‘s exactly 4 weeks after I checked out, today and still not resolved. Very slow and unsatisfying communication with the hotel, so I guess, I will not get my money back. Very bad ending to an otherwise nice vacation.